Celebrate Freedom ONLINE?, Who is M.T. Clark, anyway?, and what about Our Intimacy with God? – Purity 1535
Purity 1535 12/21/2024 Purity 1535 Audio Podcast
Purity 1535 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of the light of the new day on the horizon over the darkened pathway of Waite Road in Easton NY comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene last Sunday morning.
Well, it’s Saturday and while I am SO GLAD to be officially on vacation until January 2nd, the Lord has put it on my heart to offer Celebrate Freedom (my heart focused – Celebrate Recovery/Freedom in Christ/Deeper Walk Christian recovery and discipleship ministry) as an online “group coaching event” and now I am working to promote it – it would be nice if someone signed up, lol!
While I really think the Lord is calling me to do this and prompted me to even sow a seed of a few advertising dollars to boost the FB event I created to promote this online Christian life coaching/recovery/discipleship event, I realize that there are probably very few people who know about me and may be asking and “who is “M.T. Clark, anyway?” and “Why should I trust him with trying to help me get set free from my “hurts, habits, and hang-ups”?”
It’s a good question so to try to introduce myself to people who have learned of mt4christ.com or me for the first time, I crafted the following mini-testimony and list of credentials and posted it on FB this morning along with some photos from my new life in Christ journey. I wrote:
“Saved by a David Jeremiah gospel radio message in 2010, The Lord has called me out of the darkness of a life of unbelief, false religion, and sin. Jesus set me free from a lifelong alcohol, drug, and sex addiction and demonic oppression. Since being saved I have done recovery/freedom ministry since 2015, graduated from Vision Christian Bible College and Seminary with a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies in 2018 and a master’s degree in Christian in 2021. I have been blogging to share my testimony and to encourage others to follow Jesus since 2015 (https://mt4christ.com/blog/) and began the mt4Christ247 podcast in 2021 and created the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel in 2022 to share the message of freedom in Christ. I became a Community Freedom Ministry Associate with Freedom in Christ Ministries in 2021, a Certified Deeper Walk Prayer Minister in 2024, a certified Mental Health Coach and Professional Christian Life Coach through Light University in 2024, and now have graduated from Bob Larson University’s International School of Exorcism, Advanced Academy of Deliverance, College of Apologetics and Demonology, and Institute of Supernatural Studies in August of 2024. I have dedicated my life to follow Jesus, to share the gospel, and to help others to experience their freedom in Christ.”
I was lost and was found. I was a slave to sins of the flesh and I have been set free. I have been doing recovery or freedom ministry since 2015 and I would like to share what I have learned to help others be set free. I’ve “been there and I have done that” and have a heart desire to help others to know the Lord like I do. I want to help people to discover that, with God’s help, living a Christian life free from addictions, guilt, and shame is possible and that they can have a deep personal relationship with the Lord that is defined by peace, love, and joy.
Speaking about our relationship with God, the In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotional for today is about our intimacy with God and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage all of us to draw closer to the Lord. Dr. Charles Stanley writes:
“Intimacy With God
Don’t miss the blessing of the deeply personal relationship God offers.
Does God ever seem far away? If so, we might wonder how involved in our life He actually is. At such times, we should rely on the truth of Scripture—and the Gospels are a good place to start.
Jesus’ life testifies to the divine desire for intimacy. He consistently reached out to strangers, inviting them to draw near to Him. He spoke words of encouragement to His followers. At the same time, He taught them the profound truths He’d received from His Father (John 7:16) and held them accountable for their actions. And Jesus invited certain people to accompany Him for deeply personal experiences, such as the transfiguration and His last prayer retreat in the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 9:2; Matthew 26:36-37).
The Savior’s sacrificial choice—to die in our place—made it possible for us to join Him in God’s family. The Holy Spirit, each believer’s indwelling companion and guide, also witnesses to God’s closeness and detailed knowledge of those who are His.
Yes, God has made intimacy with Him possible. But all too often, we hold back. Distracted by earthly concerns, we put limits on His involvement in our life and set family and friends as higher priorities. Let’s commit to placing the Lord first and pursuing Him with our whole heart (Mark 12:30).” – Charles Stanley
Amen, Intimacy with God is possible! Jesus came to set the captives free and, when we put our faith in Him, we are set free from sin and death! The Holy Spirit comes to live in us the moment we put our faith in Jesus and when we are obedient to “walk in the Spirit”, we will draw closer to God and start to become the people God created us to be.
God has a new life of freedom for every believer in Christ but the world, the flesh, and the devil will do anything to prevent us from experiencing it so we have to ask God to help us to go the way we should go. While I can’t set you free, I can encourage and help you to learn how to follow Jesus and to overcome whatever bondage you may be in. I have been there and done that and am willing to help you online in 2025! So go to https://mt4christ.com/group-coaching-events/ to sign up for Celebrate Freedom ONLINE today and we can see how your intimacy with God and your freedom in Christ increases in the new year!
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on Hope.
1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Today’s verse falls under the ninth point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Hope.
9. Believers have a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Today’s Bible verse reminds us that through our faith in Christ, God has shown us mercy and provided us with His grace to give us a living hope! Our “living hope” means that it is an active and continuous hope. We don’t just hope for heaven or some eternal blissful state in eternity. God’s word tells us that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose and “all things” includes our lives, right now!
God leads us into a good and holy life and our living hope means that we can improve and be transformed into the people God made us to be. When we follow Jesus we can make progress – that’s a living hope! So, pick up your cross and follow Him! Not only do we have a living hope, but the Spirit of God also lives in us, and He can help us to receive the desires of our hearts and to realize our hope and dreams.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “Day by Day Along the Way” By Jay E. Adams.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Adams’ books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 34
but now you have turned back to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. – 1 Peter 2:25
You were a lost sheep, wandering far from the Shepherd’s fold. But since you turned back (“repented” of your sin), you have been walking in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. Sheep are dumb animals—perhaps that’s why God uses the metaphor to speak of us! They wander from the flock and get lost. You have a great Shepherd who, as the One overseeing the flock to which you belong, cares for you and sees to it that you never wander too far away. If you tend to wander, you can be sure that He will tend to you. With His rod and His staff He will protect and guide you into the proper way. That doesn’t mean that there is no responsibility on your part. The image of the father disciplining his erring children is also encountered in the Scriptures. Care for you often may involve protecting you from yourself! Apart from a shepherd’s rod prodding you away from a cliff, you may stumble and fall over it as you climb along rugged mountain passes. As the good Shepherd, He knows the terrain and your foolish tendencies. Be grateful for His careful oversight.[1]
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The MT4Christ247 audio podcast is available on YouTube, Apple, Amazon, Spotify, iHeartradio, Podbean, Audible, and many more podcast platforms!
Subscribe to The MT4Christ247 Channel on YouTube!
Email me at m.t.clark@mt4christ.com with any questions, or comments, or to inquire about our Christian Life Coaching or Prayer Ministry Services.
“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”
Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Jay E. Adams, Day by Day along the Way (Cordova, TN: Institute for Nouthetic Studies, 2020), 42.
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